NETGEAR Orbi
- Coverage: 9/10 — Reaches further per unit, which matters in big homes.
- Mesh capability: 9/10 — Mature mesh with a dedicated link between units.
Reviewed September 2026
Best mesh for three-storey homes
The short answer
Three floors need at least three points, and the middle floor is where the main box should live.
For this one job we'd pick the NETGEAR Orbi. Its overall WiFiXpert Index score is 79/100 — which is not the same thing as being top of the overall table, and doesn't change it.
Ranked for this job
Same published scores as the main index, weighted towards what matters here.
| # | System | Suited to this | Overall Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NETGEAR Orbi | 82/100 | 79/100 |
| 2 | eero mesh | 80/100 | 79/100 |
| 3 | Ubiquiti UniFi | 77/100 | 74/100 |
| 4 | TP-Link Deco | 75/100 | 73/100 |
Why each one landed where it did
eero mesh
- Coverage: 8/10 — Extra units are cheap and easy to add, which is how coverage problems get solved.
- Mesh capability: 9/10 — Built as a mesh from the start; devices move between units cleanly.
Ubiquiti UniFi
- Coverage: 9/10 — Coverage is limited only by how many access points you cable in.
- Mesh capability: 7/10 — Roaming works well, but it is a cabled system at heart.
TP-Link Deco
- Coverage: 8/10 — Three-packs are affordable, which is usually what fixes coverage.
- Mesh capability: 8/10 — Proper mesh with good hand-off between units.
What we're assuming
- Assumes ordinary timber or concrete floors, not steel-framed construction.
- Try the free fixes first — moving the router, or moving one box — before buying anything. Common problems and free fixes.
Scored using WiFiXpert Hardware Index Methodology v1.0 — how we score.